TLHP Year 5: How similar or different were Anglo-Saxon London and Bagdad in the 10th century?

This term, our Year 5 children have been working incredibly hard, diving deep into the fascinating history of Anglo-Saxon London and 10th-century Baghdad. Their big question, “How similar or different were Anglo-Saxon London and Baghdad in the 10th century?” has sparked curiosity and insightful discussions.In History, the children compared the rich cultural and societal aspects of the Islamic Empire with the Anglo-Saxon settlements in England. They explored the differences and similarities, gaining a deeper understanding of these two distinct yet intriguing periods. Museum learning also played a significant role this term.

The children researched various replicas from the Anglo-Saxon era using the internet to understand their historical uses. They compared the Round City with Londinium (London) and noted stark differences between their geographical locations, city structures, populations, trade, and knowledge.They had the privilege of participating in a compelling workshop led by historian Anthony Brown, who brought the Anglo-Saxon period tolife. The children learned about the importance of trade, food, apparel, weaponry and tools from that era. They even got a hands- on experience throwing spears, wearing chainmail and helmets and looming sheep’s wool into a small rug.

Additionally, the children delved into the epic tale of Beowulf. Inspired by this legendary story, they crafted their own “defeating a monster” tale, where their heroes bravely saved kingdoms from terrifying beasts. Their creativity and storytelling skills truly shone through in these imaginative narratives.

In Art, the children explored the works of contemporary artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman, a Liverpudlian known for her mixed media self-portraits and sculptures. Inspired by her creativity, the children wrote kennings about themselves—a figure of speech combining two words to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or a thing—and created self-portraits using a variety of mixed media such as shapes, collages, paint, chalk, and ink. These unique pieces will soon be displayed around the school.Year 5 launched the

Reading Buddies program to foster a love for reading this term. Children visited the library with their buddies to read a range of fiction and non-fiction books, discussing and asking questions about what they have read.It’s been a term full of discovery, creativity, and collaboration, and we are incredibly proud of all the hard work and enthusiasm our Year 5 students have shown!